The complaint, which the center filed Wednesday with the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice, says the system discriminates against Latino students by not providing appropriate translation and interpretation services for parents with limited English proficiency. It says, for example, that there are only two bilingual parent liaisons for the system's approximately 7,700 Latino students.

Meza, whose statement followed an official statement from the system's public relations office earlier in the day, denied the claim.

"Spanish speaking parent liaisons and paraprofessionals are placed at many of our schools, including those with large Latino populations," he said. "These resources provide direct and immediate services to parents and students."

He said the two parent liaisons that the center is referring to in the complaint "are for general support and assistance."

In addition, he said, the system is not harassing Latino students by requiring them to present a social security card upon entering the system for the first time.

Referring to Bulletin 741, the Louisiana handbook for school administrators, he said state law says that all students must present an official Social Security card, and that if one is not available, the student will be assigned a state identification number.

"It is disappointing that the Southern Poverty Law Center continues to go to the media first with allegations without coming to the district to discuss issues involving our families," Meza said. "If there are concerns, we will immediately address them."

The center's action Wednesday marks the third time this year that it has filed a civil rights complaints against Jefferson Parish public schools.

In January, the group accused the school system of widespread, disproportionate and unfair arrests of black students for minor school disciplinary matters. Five months later, it filed a complaint alleging the system sends an excessive number of black and disabled students to alternative schools to languish for months.